Jet did the right thing by deplaning Kanhaiya and assailant: Here's why

One of the senior editors wrote to me a while back to say that old Kanhaiya Kumar of JNU was dead in the water and not getting any traction. Since he is my pet peeve (KK not the editor), I was disappointed that the story was dying and the public was switching off.

Now that Kanhaiya has found the fountain of wealth (youth he already has), he is jetting around the country. He is on the lecture circuit largely to badmouth Modi (which can get a bit boring) and sneer at the government (which can get even more boring when all you do is attack with a rare viciousness) but is not getting the attention he believes he deserves. In such a case there is nothing like a little bit of controversy to whip up some excitement.

Since I was not on the aircraft where he alleges he was nearly strangled but have been writing on aviation safety for thirty three years and have lectured round the world and spent time at Boeing and Airbus, let me tell you this KK.

Maybe you were assaulted by this Manas Deka guy. But when you go around having vituperative outbursts on the mike and being petty in that the comments on the IPL and linking it to the drought were pointless since the courts have already issued marching orders, you will make enemies. You have become mean and cheap and tacky and your speeches are now demagoguery at its worst best. And when all you do is underscore problems and not offer a scintilla of solution then you have great nuisance value but that is it.

A file photo of Kanhaiya Kumar

So stop whining. Sir, hostility goes with the territory when you set the pace.

Also, Jet Airways is not at fault. You must have also raised your voice, shouted in alarm, yelled for help (assuming, of course, that your version is true) as you were being strangled and wrestled to get out of the death hold. Now, you cannot expect the captain and crew to play judge and jury. There are 150 odd passengers on the plane and safety is a perquisite, safety of the plane and the manifest. The captain must decide for the greater good.

The captain did not throw out Manas Deka and Kanhaiya Kumar. He did not say, oh that JNU troublemaker, chance to fix him.

He saw two people fighting and he said, okay, get off my plane, call the cops, let them figure it out.

So do not flatter yourself.

You were not singled out, dude, cool it.

No pilot in this day and age is going to tolerate an on-board physical scuffle.The sabotage Convention or the Montreal Convention is a multi-lateral agreement calling for severe action against those who disturb flight. Clause one states: Committing an act of violence against a person on board an aircraft in flight if it is likely to endanger the safety of the aircraft. This is a criminal offense.

If you were being murdered old son make a complaint to that effect. Strangling is pretty serious stuff. Have the fellow arrested. He is a criminal.

Accuse Deka of trying to kill you. Show the medical report indicating the lesions on you neck. Take legal recourse. You have the right. This is your life.

But no one sees you doing that. File the FIR. Instead you are attacking the airline, for doing the right thing.

Which means you are using the incident to create a little bit of instant martyrdom and attract some attention.

Maybe the senior editor of Firstpost is right. You are just yesterday’s people.